


In for a Penny

by romana2525



Series: Five Times Jane Was Maura's Plus One [4]
Category: Rizzoli & Isles
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-06-10
Updated: 2011-06-10
Packaged: 2017-10-20 07:09:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,775
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/210085
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/romana2525/pseuds/romana2525
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Maura just wants to help.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In for a Penny

**Author's Note:**

> TITLE: In for a Penny  
> PART: 1/1  
> SERIES: Five Times Jane Was Maura's Plus One, Part 4/5  
> AUTHOR: romana2525@gmail.com  
> FANDOM: Rizzoli & Isles  
> PAIRING: Jane/Maura (pre-slash)  
> RATING: PG  
> SPOILERS: All of first season  
> THANKS: Big thanks to anthro06 for beta reading. All mistakes are mine, all mine.  
> DISCLAIMER: I don’t own them. They belong to Tess Gerritsen and TNT.  
> SUMMARY: Maura just wants to help.  
> COMMENT1: Fourth in a series.  
> COMMENT2: These are all loosely-connected one-shots. They are all more or less stand alone stories, but it is best to read them in order. Comments and constructive criticisms are always appreciated.

"Why wouldn't they?" Maura demanded. They were standing in the morgue, on either side of the autopsy table. Jane stood with her arms crossed in front of her chest, glaring obstinately at Maura. Maura wore a pleading expression on her face that was slowly shifting to annoyance.

"Because you did all the work," Jane said. "You donated the money, you forced me to train for the marathon."

"Forced you, I forced you to do something," Maura stated flatly. "Since when?"

Jane gaped at her. "Since all the time," she said waving her arms. "Yoga, you got me to do yoga. I still haven't figured out how in the hell you managed to do that."

"But you like it, right?" Maura tried to point out with a smile.

Jane just glared at her. The truth was, Jane did like it, sort of. But she wasn't about to admit she liked it. She figured it was enough that she kept going three mornings a week with Maura.

"Jane, it's just an awards ceremony and reception. It's the organization's way of showing their appreciation for helping them raise money. Most of the kids will be there."

Jane sighed. She'd been hoping for a quiet evening at home, and instead Maura was asking her to get all dressed up and spend the night at some stuffy charity event.

Sensing Jane's hesitation, Maura added, "I'll make it up to you."

That got Jane's attention. "You keep saying that," she said. “How? Precisely?”

Maura thought for a second. "Well, since you brought up yoga, how about we skip that for a week?"

Jane definitely liked the sound of that. "I can sleep in those mornings! I like this plan!"

"I didn't say that," Maura said carefully. "I just said that we could skip yoga."

"Skipping yoga means not getting up at 6am to go to yoga class," Jane told her.

"That's true," Maura said, picking up her coat and purse. "If we leave now, you should have enough time to go home and change. I'll pick you up for the reception at seven."

Reluctantly, knowing Maura wasn't going to take no for an answer, she followed.

"I was thinking," Maura continued. "Instead of yoga this week, we could rent a two-man crew boat and take it out onto the Charles River in the mornings. It's a good cardiovascular workout, and the river is lovely at dawn."

"How is making me get up even earlier to go out on a freezing river at dawn making it up to me?" Jane asked.

"It's a new experience," Maura said.

"So is sleeping in tomorrow," Jane pointed out as she held the door open for her.

"It'll be good for us," Maura continued.

"So will sleeping in tomorrow," Jane added, with a grin. After a moment, Maura couldn't help but smile back.

*****

“Turn around for me again,” Maura said, turning her hand in a circle to emphasize her word. Jane groaned but did as she was told. “You look beautiful, Jane!” Maura said again. “I wasn’t too sure about the blouse at first, but it makes your skin glow.”

"Okay, okay, stop now," Jane said at the third compliment. "You're making me feel self-conscious. Let's just go."

The reception was held at one of the fancier downtown hotels. Jane had to admit she was impressed. Every awards banquet, if they could even be called that, she'd ever gone to as a kid had been held at the local firehall, and hadn't looked nearly as well-heeled as this. Many local business leaders, and families of the kids who directly benefitted from the organization we're there. Jane soon found herself talking to a city councilman and the father of a shy teenage boy who would be going to a special science camp during the summer thanks to the money that they’d raised.

Sipping her wine, Jane caught sight of Maura in the corner, talking animatedly to a girl of about ten. She excused herself, and made her way over to them. Maura caught sight of her, and motioned her over.

"Jane, I'd like you to meet Sheila Carver. Sheila, this is Detective Rizzoli. And this is Sheila’s mother, Karen," Maura added, gesturing to a small, brown-haired woman who had been hovering just to the right of Maura.

"It's a pleasure," Jane said, solemnly shaking first Sheila's hand, then Karen’s.

"Sheila is the reason I got involved in P.U.K.E."

Jane tried not to laugh as Maura pronounced each letter carefully, with a completely straight face. Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Sheila's mother grimace. Jane didn't blame her one bit.

"She's an amazing young artist. I was a judge at a local student art fair a year ago, and Sheila entered one of her sculptures. It was extraordinary."

Jane looked over at Maura curiously. She knew Maura donated a lot of money to charity, but until the race, and now this, she'd had no idea Maura was so directly involved in some of it. Jane wondered how Maura found the time, when she couldn't find time to do her laundry, and was constantly bringing it over to her parent's house whenever her mother demanded that she come by.

Sheila blushed at Maura's praise, and Karen beamed.

"We were just discussing what Sheila is going to be doing for the summer," Maura added. “I’ve been waiting all week to give them the good news.”

"Oh, what's that?" Jane asked, interested, wondering how a budding young sculptor spent her summer holidays.

"Well," Sheila said, and Jane had the impression she was choosing her words very carefully. "Doctor Maura wants me and my mom to go to Paris, to study sculpture."

Jane's eyebrows rose. "Paris, huh?" she said, impressed. "That's exciting."

"I guess," she said. Jane had the distinct impression that Sheila wasn't terribly enthusiastic about the idea. Jane glanced up at Karen, and saw the same look on the girl's mother's face.

"Samuel is an amazing sculptor," Maura was saying, enthusiastically, oblivious to the uncertain expression on everyone's faces. "And a gifted teacher. You will learn so much from him."

"Well, I'm sure there are lots of local sculptors who would want to work with someone as gifted as Sheila, here," Jane said, looking pointedly at Maura.

"Well, of course there are, and some of them are very, very good, but this will be an amazing opportunity for you."

“I guess,” Sheila said again, that same note of doubt creeping into her voice. “Most of my friends are just going to summer camp for two weeks,” she added, wistfully.

“It’s a generous offer,” Mrs. Carver began, putting her hand on Sheila’s shoulder. “But we really need to discuss it with Sheila’s father, before we make any decisions.”

Maura frowned. “Of course. I’ll be happy to speak with your husband, Mrs. Carver. I’m sure I can answer any questions about this he might have.”

This was awkward, though Maura seemed to be oblivious. She began describing Paris to Sheila in great detail.

"Would you excuse us for a second," Jane said, putting her hand on Maura’s arm and flashing a sympathetic smile at Mrs. Carver. "Maura?" She waited until the two had moved off, then looked over at Maura to see that she was frowning after them.

"She doesn't want to go to Paris for the summer, does she?" Maura asked, and Jane was taken aback by the question. She’d thought Maura had been clueless.

"No, she doesn't," Jane said.

"Why not? It's an amazing opportunity. I had to pull a lot of strings to get him to agree."

"Because she's ten, Maura," Jane said, gently. "She's ten, and all her friends are going to camp and that's what she wants to do, too. She doesn't want to just pick up and go to a strange place where she doesn't know anyone."

"I did," Maura said, wistfully. “When I was ten.”

Jane reached over and turned Maura to face her. "Maura, give her a few years. She'll be ready, then. And, your offer was amazingly generous. Her not going doesn’t change that. You really are amazing, you know that?"

Jane smiled, as Maura ducked her head, a blush creeping up her face. "I suppose Samuel would rather have a student who wants to be there, instead of one I forced to go," she said. "What were you like? When you were ten?"

Jane rolled her eyes. "Pretty much a shorter version of myself now. With pigtails."

Maura smiled. "I bet you were adorable."

"Oh sure, pigtails, skinned knees. Same exact chip on my shoulder."

"Do you think we would've become friends? If we'd met when we were ten?"

Jane had a flip answer on the tip of her tongue, but there was something in Maura's expression that silenced her for a moment. She had a sudden, clear image of what it might have been like. She could see the playground, drenched in late spring sun, as she played kickball with a bunch of boys, and a few girls thrown into the mix. Other kids, mostly girls who didn’t like to play sports, sat around the edges in groups, watching and giggling to each other.

There was another girl, a pretty girl in a beautiful dress, sitting by herself. She had a book sitting open in her lap. No one paid any attention to her as she sat in the afternoon sun, amid the noise and dust, reading solemnly.

"I don't know," Jane said, honestly. She'd been boisterous and combative, even as a child, and ten was about the age she'd discovered she got along better with boys. She wasn't sure someone like Maura would've even been on her radar, other than as a curiosity, or as someone to avoid because she perceived them as being stuck up.

Maura seemed satisfied with that answer, however. "You're right. It's the present that counts."

Jane nodded, but couldn't help adding, "But I probably could've used your help passing geography."

"I was very good at geography," Maura admitted, and the solemn mood was broken. "So, tomorrow morning, Charles River?"

Jane groaned. "Only if that comes with a big, greasy breakfast, afterwards."

"Jane, that would completely defeat the purpose," Maura admonished.

"Coffee then. You at least have to buy me coffee."

"That I can do," Maura said.

As they gathered their coats, Jane glanced at her watch and saw that it was nearly 11pm. She groaned, again, realizing that, somehow, Maura had talked her into getting up in a few short hours to go rowing.

One of these days, Jane had to figure out how Maura did that.

The End


End file.
